Reversible outboard motor



April 17, 1951 E. c. KIEKHAEFER REVERSIBLE OUTBOARD MOTOR 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed sept. 5; 1947 IN VEN TOR. Euwe C. /f/E/HnsFE/e f7 Tref/Vey April 17, 1951 E. c. KIEKHAEFER 2,549,481

REVERSIBLE OUTBOARD MOTOR Filed Sept. 5, 1947 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 v QL IN VEN TOR.

April 17, 1951 c. KIEKHAEFER 2,549,481

REVERSIBLE ouTBoARD MoToR Filed Sept. 5, 1947 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 IN V EN TOR.

April 17, 1951 E. c KlEKHAl-:FER 2,549,481

REVERSIBLE OUTBOARD MOTOR Filed Sept. 5, 1947 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Apr. 17, 1951 UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE REVERSIBLE OUTBOARD MOTOR Elmer C. Kiekhaefer, Cedarburg, Wis. Application September 5, 1947, Serial Nc. 772,346

11 Claims. (C1. 115-18) This invention relates to outboardmotors and Y is directed largely to the reduction of manufacturing costs. A primary object of Arnyinvention is to provide an outboard motor with a steering and reversing mechanism and with a co-pilot device, all of which are relatively inexpensive to manufacture.

Another object of my invention is to provide a novel reversing steering mechanism.

A further object of my invention is to provide an outboard motor with a novel device, known in the trade as a co-pilot device, for steering the boat in a predetermined course when the tiller handle is manually released. y

Other objects and advantages of my invention will become. apparent uponreading the following Specication and upon examination of the drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of an outboard motor employing my invention;

Fig. 2 is a side Velevational view of .the outboard motor showing a portion of the power head and a portion of the driver shaft housing with themid-section broken in section. to disclose my .part of the tilting and locking mechanism;

Fig. 7 is a detail View of the friction ring which is a part of the co-pilot device;

Fig. 8 is a detail view of the swive1 piece which is apart of the tilting and locking mechanism; and

Fig. 9 is a detail View of the spring washer which is a part of the co-pilot device.

In general, I have provided an outboard motor comprised of a power head 2, a drive shaft 3 and a drive shaft housing 4. The drive shaft 3 is driven by the engine shaft *5 andextends through the interiorof the drive shaft housing l 4 to the gear casing 4a to transmit rotation to the propeller 45. A'water pipe 6 carries water up into the power head 2 for engine cooling purposes. A tie-rod 'I is. secured at one end to the gear casing 4aand is secured at itsother 'end to the crankcase casting 8 by means of a.

nut 9.

together by' suitable bolts and nuts to form a unitary structure for housing thepower unit. The engine block I9 has a downwardly depende ing neck portion I I which is of a semi-.cylindrical shape. The crankcase casting 8 is also provided with a downwardly dependingneck portion I2 which is also of a semi-cylindrical shape and which mates with the neck portion II. ofthe engine block to form a cylindrical sleevek 2B;

The lower end ofthe neck portions II and I2 may be secured together by means of suitable bolts or screws I3 and I4, said neck portions` II and l2 being provided with bosses I5, I6, I'I and i3 into which the screws I3 andv I4 are threaded. The drive shaft housing 4 has an internal bore I9 which is machined to receive the cylindrical sleeve 20 formed'by the neck portions II and` I2. When said cylindrical'sleeve is inserted into the bore I9, thena pin `2| is inserted into drilled holes 22 and 23 in the drive shaft housing 4 which holes register with the drilled holes -24 and 25 in bossesr I6 and I8.

The pin 2l thus secures the drive shaft housing 4 to the sleeve Zilto prevent axialand rotating movement between said parts, the reason for which will be hereinafter described.

Sleeve 20 is provided at its upper endwith an externa1 annular shoulder 25, vwhich serves asV a bearing seat for the inner race of a ball bear'- ing 2l. The upper facial extremity 28 of drive shaft housing 4 servesto clamp the inner race of bearing 2l against the annularshoulder. 26.

A bracket 29 is providedwith an internal bore so Athat bracket 29 completely embraces the sleeve 20 and theupper end of drive shaft housing 4.

Said bracket 29 has an internal bore 3B forming an annular shoulder 3l which serves as a bearing Seat for vthe outer race of ball bearing 21. A ring nut 33 is threaded into the vbracket 29 and clamps the outer race of bearing 21 against the annular shoulder 3|. The annular groove 94 inbracket 29 and the annular groove 35- in ring 93 serve to retain a pair of elastic seal rings 36 and 3l which prevent dirt and vwater from getting into thebearing 21.

The upper end of thedrive shaft lhousing 4 has an annular groovev 98 into which `a wavy spring washer 39l and a friction ring 40 are received. It will be noted that the friction ring 491s provided with a tab 4I which projects into slot 42 to prevent'rotatio'n of said ring relative 3 oi bearing 21. It will be also noted that the bearing 21 supports the entire weight of the power head 2 and drive shaft housing, consequently, said bearing is subjected to a heavy axial -load. Therefore bearing 21 is a husky bearing With respect to reversing the direction of travel of the boat, this is accomplished by grasping the tiller 44 and rotating the power head and drive shaft housing 18()D about the axis of the bore in supporting bracket 29, the propeller 45 thus assuming the position as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, thereby propelling the boat in reverse direction. It can be seen that the power head and drive shaft housing can be swiveled 360 about the axis of sleeve 29.

The assembly of the steering mechanism and co-pilot device is accomplished as follows. The bearing 21 is first inserted intothe bore 3) of support bracket 29 with a light press t. Then the lock ring 33 is threaded into bracket 29 and tightened against the outer race of bearing 21. The seal rings 35 and 31 are then inserted in the annular grooves 34 and 35. This entire subassembly is then inserted onto sleeve 2B until the inner race of bearing 21 abuts the annular shoulder 26. Then the spring washer 39 is inserted into the annular groove '38 of drive shaft housing 4 and friction ring 49 is positioned in the same groove with tab 4l located in slot 42. The upper end of the drive shaft housing is then slipped onto sleeve and pressure is applied until the upper end 28 of the drive shaft housing abuts against the inner race of bearing 21. The pressure is applied for the purpose of subjecting the spring washer 39 to a predetermined amount of deflection wherein a predetermined amount of pressure is exerted by the spring washer against the friction ring 4l. The pin 2| is then inserted into the hole 22 through holes 24 and 25 and then into hole 23 thereby securing the drive shaft housing 4 relative to sleeve 29. It will be noted that it is important to locate the drilled holes 22 and 23 in proper relation to the drilled holes 24 and 25 in the sleeve 20 whereby when said holes are in register the desired deflection of spring washer 39 is obtained.

. I may desire to use shims between the upper end 28 of drive shaft housing 4 and the inner race of bearing 21 whereby machining tolerances which determine the distances between annular shoulder 25, housing face 28 and the base of annular groove 38 may not have to be held too closely.

When spring washer 39 is permanently deected to the desired predetermined amount by the insertion of pin 2l into the drive shaft housing and sleeve 25, then the pressure exerted by said washer against the friction ring (which is stationary with the drive shaft housing as a result of tab 4l in slot 42), causes said friction ring to rub against the underneath face of lock ring 33 thereby impeding the rotation of the power headn and drive shaft 'housing relative to support bracket 29. The amount of impedition, however, isr only sufficient to maintain the power head and drive shaft housing in a fixed position relative to support bracket 29, when the tiller 44 isvmanually released. Thus the steering course ofthe boat at the time the tiller 44 is released remains fixed until the tiller is again manually moved to change the steering course. This lixing of the steering course is accomplished .by the so-called co-pilot mechanism described immediately above.

It is to be understood, of course, that the impedition of rotation of the power head and drive shaft housing relative to support bracket 29 is not so great as to impair free steering of the boat by manual manipulation of the tiller 44 and no laborious `effort is involved in the manual manipulation of said tiller. It can be seen that the tiller 44 is secured directly to the crankcase casting 8 by means of screws or bolts 46 whereby manual swinging of the tiller causes rotation of the power head and drive shaft housing relative Yto support bracket 29.

The complete outboard motor assembly isrelmovably secured to the transom 52 of a boat by means of clamp screws 41 and 48 which are threaded into the downwardly depending arms 49 and 50 of clamp bracket 5l, said transom being clamped between the clamp screws and the opposing legs 53 of clamp bracket 5|. The clamp bracket 5| may be comprised of two castings 54 and 55 of corresponding shape and construction having inter-fitting lugs 56 and 51 secured together by rivet 58 thus forming a web portion 59 between the two castings 54 and 55 to form the unitary clamp bracket 5l. The support or swivel bracket 29 has an outwardly projected tongue formed of spaced arms E9 and 6l having inwardly directed hubs 62 and 63. The clamp bracket 5l also has hub portions 64 and 65 which are aligned with hubs 62 and 63 when the swivel bolt 66 is inserted through the internal bores in each of the hubs. The bracket 29 is free to swivel on bolt 66 within a limited range hereinafter described and the swiveling of bracket 29 on bolt S6 causes the entire assemblage of said bracket 29 and the power head and lower end unit to tilt up and down about the axis of bolt E5.

In outboard motor construction it is desirable to mount the power head and lower end unit relative to the boat clamping bracket in such a manner as to permit the lower end unit to swing upwardly automatically whenever the lower end unit engages an under water obstruction such as a log or rock, thereby preventing serious damage to the outboard motor. At the same time it is desirable to be able to adjust the normal tilted angle of the outboard motor relative to the boat and to maintain said motor in said selected angle of adjustment during operation thereof so as to obtain maximum performance from the propeller.

It is to be understood that when the propeller is turning, its propelling action is continuously urging the lower end unit of the outboard motor toward the boat which in turn causes the boat to move forward. Thus the action of the propeller continuously maintains the outboard motor in a selected angle of tilt relative to the boat until an obstruction is encountered by the lower end unit. Then the propelling action of the propeller is overcome and the lower end unit swings backwardly and upwardly in a pivotal movement so as to ride over the obstruction. It will be noted Y that the outboard motor is free to swing upwardly motor relative to clamp rbracket '51.; however',- is

limited by an adjustable mechanism describedV vhereinafter and describedzand: claimed `infmy copending application;v Serial. No. v143,982', led

. where the retaining ring is located. -Av yokel14ffis Vthreaded' onto the adjustmentscrew I69 and has outwardly extendingarms15'and 16 which ride on the inclined ways 1.1 and Y18 whichr'are preferably formed integrally with. and :interiorly of .the upperwalls 19and ,80. of eachy of the lcastings-5! .and 5510i clampbracket I. The yoke :arms-:15 and '16:a1so support the weight. of :supportebracket 26 and the power head and lower end unitwhich.

are tcarried'by thejsupport bracket 29, since the underneath surfaces 8| of arms 60 and 6i of support bracket 29 rest directly yon the upper surfaces of the ryoke arms and 16. The gravity load', therefore, of support bracket 29 and the power head and lower end unit is transmitted to yoke arms-15'Yand 16 fand from the yoke arms to the ways 11 and 18 of clamp bracket 5I and from the clampbracket 5i toj the boat :transom 52. It will be noted that the underneath. surfaces 8l of arms li and 6| have a downwardly depending arcuate shoulder Vstop 82 which limits the travel ofthe yoke-14 in a direction away from the handle 84 yof the adjustment screw 69. Said stop shoulder 82 thereby limits the downward tilting adjustment of the power head and lower endV unit relative to clamp bracket 5I.

When itis desired to either raise or lower the tilt angle of the power head and lower end unit relative to clamp bracket 5I, this is accomplished by grasping handle 84 of adjustment screw 69 and turning it either clockwise or counter-clockwise. When the handle 84 is turned in clockwise direction, the yoke 14- is retracted along the threaded portion of screw 69 toward handle 84, thereby causing yoke arms 15 and 16 to travel up the inclined ways 11l and 18.k The upper surfaces of yoke arms 15 and 16 being in `Contact with the underneath surfaces of swivel bracket arms 60 and 6| thereby cause the swivel bracket 29 to swivel upwardly about the axis of swivel bolt 66 i effecting an upward tilting of the power head and lower end unit to any desired position. When the desired position of tilt is reached, such position remains fixed until the tilt position is again changed by turning handle 84 of adjustment screw 69.

Turning the handle 84 counter-clockwise, of course, causes yoke arms 15 and 16 to travel down the ways 11 and 18 and gravity causes swivel bracket 29 and the power head and lower end unit to follow the yoke arms, on which they are supported, thus lowering the tilt position of the power head and lower end unit relative to clamp bracket 5I.

Having thus described my invention what I claim is:

1. In an outboard motor, an engine block with a downwardly depending sleeve portion, an annular shoulder formed in the exterior surface of said sleeve portion, a drive shaft housing with an internal Sboreat :itsv upperzend, said 'sleeve portion extending. 'into the boreof Athe drive shaft. housing, an anti-friction bearing Jhaving vits `in-n'erfrace clamped between the annular shoulder 'Son .the sleeve. portionand` the `upper end vof the .drive .'slfiafthousing; a bracket having. a .bore therein and encircling the. sleeve. portion :and .the upper end of 'ther drive. shaft. housing, an annular shoulder withinsaid bore, the outer race of the anti-'friction bearing abutting said shoulder, a ringnutthreaded into thebore. of 'the bracket Lto clamp the outer race of the bearingagainstthe annuiar shoulder in said bore, the engine block and drive'. shaft .housing Ybeing 'rotatable relative tothe bracket and` being'v supported @by said bracket through the medium of the anti-friction bearing. i

21 Inanoutboard fmotor, an engine :block with i afdown-wardly depending. sleeve. portion, an annular shoulder formed in 'the exterior surface .of said sleeve portiona driveshaft housing :with an internal-bore at its upper end, saidsleeve portion extending into .the bore of vthe drive shaft housing, amanti-friction bearing .having its inner race lclamped.between .thefannular shoulder on the sleeve portionand .the upper Aendof the drive shaft` housing, .a bracket having. a. bore therein `and encircling the sleeve portion and the upperend of -the dri-veshaft housing. an -annular shoulderwwithin said bore, the outer race o'f the anti-friction .bearing abutting said .shoulder, means for clampingV the outer race ofthe bearing against. the .annular shoulder Vin said bore,the engine block. and. drive shaft housing being rotatable relativeto the bracketand bz-iing supported by .said bracket :through the lmedium of the anti-frictiony bearing, 'means :disposed be.- ltween. `the drive .shaft housing and theV bracket for providing frictional resistance to the rotation of the lengine block and drive shaft housing relative lto the bracket.

3. An outboard motor as set forth in claim 2 wherein the means for providing frictional resistance comprises a cup-like washer disposed between the drive shaft housing and the bracket.

4. An outboard motor comprising a power unit, a housing depending downwardly'therefrom, a supporting -member associated with the power unit and housing for rotatively supporting same to the housing, whereby rotative movement of the housing and power unit relative to the supporting member is somewhat resisted.

5. An outboard motor comprising a power unit, a housing depending downwardly therefrom, a supporting member associated with the power unit and housing for rotatively supporting same relative thereto, a resilient washer interposed between the housing and the supporting member and normally urging the supporting member in an axial direction relative, to the housing whereby Vrotative movement of the power unit and housing relative to the supporting member is impeded. n Y l.

6. An outboard motor" comprising a power unit, a drive .shaft housing depending downwardly therefrom, a supporting member associated with the power unit and drivel shaft housing, an antifriction bearing mounted in the support member for rotatively supporting the power unit and.

drive shaft housing relative thereto, means for race of the bearing and the support member in an axial direction relative to the power unit and drive shaft housing, whereby to impede rotative movement of the power unit and drive shaft housing relative to the support member.

7. An outboard motor comprising a power unit, a drive shaft housing secured thereto, a support member rotatively supporting the power unit and drive shaft housing, a groove in the upper facial extremity of the drive shaft housing, a washer stationarily mounted in the groove, a second resilient washer in the groove beneath the rst washer urging same into frictional contact with a face of the support member whereby to impede rotative movement of the power unit and drive shaft housing relative to the support member.

8. A steering mechanism for an outboard motor including; a power unit, a drive shaft housing and a support member rotatively supporting the power unit and drive shaft housing for steering purposes; a pair of washers mounted in face to face relation to each other, one of said washers being urged into frictional contact vwith a face of the support member whereby to impede rotative movement of the power unit and drive shaft housing relative to the support member.

9. A steering mechanism for an outboard motor including; a power unit, a drive shaft housing, a support member and an anti-friction bearing' mounted in the support member for rotatively supporting the power unit and drive shaft housing for steering purposes; a retaining member securing the bearing within the support member, a pair of washers mounted in face to face relation to each other, one of said washers being urged into frictional face to face contact with a face of the retaining member, whereby to impede rotative movement of the power unit and drive shaft housing relative to the support member.

10. A steering mechanism for an outboard m0- tor including; a power unit, a drive shaft housing and a support member; an anti-friction bearing interposed between the support member and the power unit and drive shaft housing, said bearing rotatively supporting the power unit and drive shaft housing relative to the support member and said bearing supporting the power unit and drive shaft housing against axial displacement relative tothe support member.

11. A steering mechanism for an outboard motor including; a power unit, a drive shaft housing and a support member; an anti-friction bearing interposed between the support member and the power unit and drive shaft housing for rotatively and axially supporting the power unit and drive shaft housing relative to the support member, means interposed between the drive shaft housing and support member for resisting rotative'movement of the power unit and drive shaft housing relative to the support member.

ELMER C. KIEKHAEFER,

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the ile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,161,935 Hecht et al. Nov. 30, 1915 1,661,369 Irgens Mar. 6, 1928 1,932,785 Irgens Oct. 31, 1933 1,999,694 Irgens Apr. 30, 1935 2,441,000 Armstrong May 4, 1948 2,454,972 Martin Nov. 30, 1943 

